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5 Books ABC’s American Housewife is Definitely Reading on Her Couch!

Fall TV is here and life just makes sense again. I can’t wait to dive into some new shows, especially as so many of them look both adorable and hilarious.

Perhaps none look quite as adorable or hilarious as American Housewife on ABC, starring Katy Mixon as Katie Otto, an ultra-curvy outcast housewife who finds it impossible to fit in with the other suburban moms. Who are all size 2. And who only drink kale smoothies. Check out the charming trailer and just try not to fall in love:

Mixon stole all our hearts when she played April on the insanely funny Eastbound & Down, so I can’t wait to watch her tackle this new role. I can already tell that I’m going to love her character on American Housewife, who seems completely relatable and like someone I just want to eat pizza with – even if it ends up all over our shirts.

Because Katie Otto’s housewife seems so cool, I’m sure she’s a prolific reader too (as all the best people are!). Here are the five books I can just imagine her curling up on the sofa with:

If two characters were separated at birth, it might be Bridget Jones and Katie Otto. Both seem to have good intentions, but the drama always finds a way. In Bridget’s latest adventure, she’s dealing with Smug Mothers and Drunken Singles as she contemplates a huge life change: pregnancy. Only, in true Bridget fashion she has no idea who the father is and everything is blowing up around her. The book follows the release of the film version, Bridget Jones’s Baby, which hit theaters September 16. It’s also a prequel of sorts to the last Bridget book, Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy. Expect all the hijinks we’ve come to know and love from one of the most endearing literary characters of all time.

Leah Martin has always struggled with her weight, and her hypercritical mom isn’t helping matters much. When hottie Sam Cooper defends Leah by telling a little white lie (that the two are actually engaged) Leah’s family is all too happy to embrace the façade. Leah and Sam scheme in order to get themselves out of their mess, but Sam can’t seem to stay away from Leah’s bakery, or from Leah herself. The two are sweetness personified, reminiscent of Katie’s relationship with her adoring husband (played by Diedrich Bader). I’m sure Katie could see herself in Leah, and would definitely be rooting for the baker to find true love.

Small town life can certainly feel claustrophobic, as it must for Katie at times. It’s something that’s at the heart of Cabot’s new book, too. Told through texts, emails, diaries, etc., this cute tale reunites famous golfer Reed Stewart with Bloomville, Indiana, the town he left behind years ago. And it’s just Bloomville he left behind, but Becky Flowers, his high school love. Becky loves Bloomville, her family, her business, and the life she’s created after Reed left town. But now he’s back, and old feelings are resurfacing despite the years and heartache between them. Fun, sweet and charming, this is the perfect story to get swept away with — especially when your life as an American housewife is getting you down.

Like Katie, Stephanie Plum was struggling to find her place in the world. But then she became a bounty hunter, using her natural sass and attitude to catch criminal after criminal. In her latest adventure, she’s going undercover at an ice cream factory (and having a hard time not eating all the goods). But with a stolen truck, an ice-cream related murder and a crooked business to bust, Stephanie has her work cut out for her with this case. I’m sure Katie would love reading about Stephanie’s exploits – and probably wishes she could ditch suburban life for a little bounty hunting of her own.

Lindy West is an activist, a feminist, and essayist known for speaking her mind and speaking up for issues she believes in. She’s also hilarious, and this memoir will suck you in from the first page. Growing up overweight wasn’t easy, but West refused to be stifled, instead speaking up for bodies of all shapes and sizes. She also took on the comedian world, blatantly fighting against the idea that rape jokes could be funny. Her activism (often accidental) has helped shape the world we live in, and her voice is one that you will definitely want to listen to. This memoir is funny, smart and accessible, and I can only guess that Lindy and Katie would be fast friends.

Rachel Carter grew up surrounded by trees and snow and mountains. She graduated from the University of Vermont and Columbia University, where she received her MFA in nonfiction writing. She is the author of the So Close to You series with Harperteen. These days you can find her working on her next novel in the woods of Vermont.